Stacking-tray.



T. W. BUNTE.

STAGKING TRAY.

APPLICATION FILED D-BG.2"1. 1910.

Patented Nov, z, 1911V and useful Improvement in :10' tion.

THEODORE W. BUNTE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, yASSIGrNOIR TO BUNTE BROTHERS, A. COR- PORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

srAcKING-TRAY.

Lacasse.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 7, 191i.

- Application filed December 27, 1919. Serial No. 599,283.

,To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEoDoRE W. BUNTE, a Vcitizen-ofthe United States, residing at Chicago', in the county o'fCook and State of Illinois, have inventedy a certain new Stacking-Trays, specification.

stacking trays',

of. 4which the following is a My invention relates to particularly those designed for confectioners use, where chocolate creams or other confections have to be chilled and dried, and vscagnetimes stored for a short time before the packers can place them in boxes. The objects of my invention are, first, to make trays of such configuration that when stacked one upon another they will not only protect the goods stored but will form a stack that is firm and rifrid in all directions; second1 to form a tray of this character Which shall be strong, durable, sanitary and readily cleansed; third, to' provide a tray which shall be reversible end for end in the stack, and which shall be universal in the sense that it may -occupy any position inthe stack; fourth, to provide a tray having the above characteristics and formed of a single piece of sheet metal; iftln'to forni the sheet metal tray in such manner that substantially all of the exposed edges shall be of metal doubled back upon itself, whereby a smooth fold Will be presented and the tray may be readily handled by the bare hands of the operator Without danger lof cutting or abrading them.

I accomplish my objects by the construction illust-rated in the accompanying draw,- ings, in which* i Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stack of trays made in accordance with my inven- Fig. 2 is a perspective view on an ,enlarged scale showing the corner of some of the trays and the manner in which the trays interfit. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the end portion of a pair of trays.

Similar letters referto similar parts throughout the severa-l views.

Each tray consists of a flat a having a depending flange front and' rear edge and havingstanding flanges at the ends, which consist of u right portions a, inwardly projecting horizontal portions a3, rising portions a4 and downwardly extending portions a5. The trays body portion clothing of the operator, for

portions a?, superposed horizontal' are made of a single piece of sheet metal, preferably galvanized lron, which is substantially non-rustable and readily cleaned.v

Eor convenience the vertical portions a at the ends of the tray may be considered a clearance portion as they determine the vertical distance betwcen the bodies of the trays when stacked up. The horizontal portions c2 and a3 are formed by folding the metal back upon itself. These portions constitute a ledge for supporting the superposed tray. The vertical portions a4 and a5 are also formed by folding the metal back upon itself. They form end stops for preventing endwise movement of the superposed tray. The depending fianges b are so formed as to litover the ends of the ledges a2, a and prevent transverse movement of the tray of which they form a part. A portion b of the depending flanges is turned inward and upward so as to form double thickness. Of course the portions d and a5 may be omitted if desired but they are advantageous for two reasons; first, they increase the stiffness of the structure, and, second, they finish off the edges and thus render the tray much easier and safer to handle than if the edges were left rough.

In use, after the tray is filled, it is placed upon a bench, truck, in a chilling room, or wherever desired. After another tray is filled, it is placed upon the first one with 'the flanges b extending down over the ends of the ledge port-ions a2, a3. Other trays as filled are subsequently stacked up in the same manner, practically to any height desired. I have found from use that thirty of these trays one upon the other may be stacked with entire safety, the stack being firm and rigid in every direction. On account of the formation on the ends the trays are very easy to handle, the operator placing the palm of his hand over the upper edge of the portions a4, a5, and the thumb underneath the ledge portion a2. A` smooth surface is presented t0 the hand and to the usually in carrying a tray one of the depending flanges will contact the person of the operator when the tray is being lifted. The same is true of the depending flanges b.

It will be noted thatthere are vertical flanges on all four edges of the tray and hence the latter is veryv stiff and rigid and has a high resistance to working strain.

lll)

lfml'lxeiinm'e, :is there are ne corners of pwlqel ihe tiny@ nmy he readily elennsed.

llmlnfj Lhns .lerserihed my invention7 what l fflnim :le new and desire t0 Secue by Leiiei's lnl'ent ier l. Sheei' metal :"lueldng Unys eoneistinp; 0lj llzil reilungnhn hedy perilous having :it the ends um nptlnned. integral. flanges and inwni'dly tin-ned Mangez; integral with Suid nplin'ned llnngex above J(he bedypmiens hn' snppwrlimr ihe hn'v shove. :ind down wai-d inleggx'ul [hinges :it the edges of Said holly poi'lienS ndnpled lo fit ever Jhe in- \\.':n'dl \1 hnned hmgies of the fray beneath.

Stacking li-nys having Het 'rectangular hedy perilous adapted to lie horizonml, seid body nmiinnrj being provided with flanges Meng; ull fem.' edgjeg thereof, two opposed flanges on each fray exiending upward und two exteniling' downwamh and all of Said.

Looms@ l flanges being of sheet metal integral with i the body of the tray, the upwardly extend l ing' flanges having' inwardly extending folds l intermediate el? the height thereof for supporting n similaisnperposed tray, the por tions labove said ledges being adeped to 'prevent endwise movenientyof the snperposed hay and the downwardly extending fhlneges heimgndnpl'ed to fit over the ends of the ledges nl asimilar tray beneath, pre-willing lateral movement of he tray rehiively ie the one beneath.

In witness whereof, have hereunto euhseiihed my namein the presence of two witnesses. f

HOWARD Cox, MARGARET D. Bonn.

thereby 

